The new cultivar ‘Grand Prix’ is a selection from a cross between ‘Wintergreen’ (female parent) and ‘Couch 5’ (male parent) in 1998. ‘Couch 5’ is also known as C5. The resultant seeds of that cross were germinated and 150 seedlings were observed during 1998 and 1999. During the summer of 1999 to 2000, seedling plants were culled based on their shoot density, leaf texture, internode length and colour. The remaining 20 plants were planted in pots at at Pakenham, Victoria, Australia in Spring of 2000. The final selection of Seedling 12 in 2002 was based on shoot density, leaf colour, turf quality and reduced thatch accumulation.
To ensure the unique characteristics of the new cultivar remained stable and reproduced true-to-type, the original selected plant was asexually propagated by dividing the stolon into nodal cuttings at Pakenham, Victoria, Australia and has been multiplied through four vegetative expansions without showing any discernible off types.
Internode length and branching, length and width of the leaf blade, inflorescence raceme length and culm length were characteristics which were used for determine the most similar varieties of common general knowledge. ‘C1’, ‘Hatfield’, ‘Riley's Evergreen’, ‘Winter Gem’ and ‘Wintergreen’ were identified.
‘C1’ is the variety not protected by any plant variety rights and is sold under the Australian registered trade mark Legend®. ‘Hatfield’ is disclosed in Australian PBR No. 2565. ‘Riley's Evergreen’ is disclosed in Australian PBR No. 1506 and is sold under the Australian registered trade mark Conquest®. ‘Winter Gem’ is disclosed in Australian PBR No. 3132 and ‘Wintergreen’ is disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,278.